21 December 2023
This season Frosinone has returned to Serie A, having been missing from Italy's top-flight since the 2018/2019 season. The last clash between the Ciociari and Juve dates back to that year, with the Bianconeri victorious, without conceding a goal, both in the first leg and in the second leg. In chronological order, the last match-up was played at the Allianz Stadium on 15 February 2019, but to return to a story with Juve starring at the Benito Stirpe Stadium, we need to go back to 23 September 2018.
CRISTIANO AND BERNA
It was Cristiano Ronaldo's first year with the Juventus shirt and the Portuguese forward, having scored in the previous match against Sassuolo, held the golden key that unlocked this particular encounter.
"If you want to win, you have to persist, you have to believe, you must not give up" - these were the opening lines on Juventus.com of that match, demonstrating how getting the better of the Ciociari had not been so simple.
Frosinone's wall collapsed, on that occasion, only in the 81st minute, a left-footed CR7 strike and late Federico Bernardeschi goal sealing the 2-0 victory.
PATIENCE AND CALMNESS
These are the two key words that had led Juve to their fifth consecutive success in Serie A, continuing their run of maximum points (the first stop would come on the ninth matchday in Juve-Genoa). Patience in front of the aforementioned yellow wall, seemingly immovable, and then calmness and clarity in key moments. Ronaldo, as has often happened in his career, found himself in the right place at the right time, Bernardeschi was very good at reading the situation and slotting in the second goal after a counter, managed once again with reactivity, but without frenzy.
Even on that occasion, Mister Allegri was on the Juventus bench. Many years have passed, the team has changed, but those characteristics that allowed us to prevail in that September battle five years ago will also be very important this Saturday.
